"Is This the End?" - New Edition
- Kendall Dunham
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Hello there, possibly for the last time :(. In my last blog, I shared my experience going to an improv show at Baltimore Improv Group, and since then, my class has hosted our own improv workshop! In this blog, I will talk about the workshop, reflect on this past semester, and discuss moving forward!
Workshop
Some say, "You don't truly know something until you can teach it."
This workshop was one of my most fun college experiences. I was responsible for the introduction. It was a bit daunting because I wanted to make sure to set up the workshop with general information about improv rules and the kind of environment we want to create. However, I didn't want to overwhelm the audience with too much. But as in improv, I made sure to speak at the top of my intelligence in the moment.
Besser, Matt, et al. The Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual. Comedy Council of Nicea, LLC, 2013.
I loved seeing new people come and get out of their shells. Many people came with friends, and I think doing it with someone you know is a nice way to ease the initial nerves. It's easier to be uncomfortable with someone you're comfortable with. My favorite game to watch people play was the Change Game, and the Reasons You're Late. These were the most advanced games we gave the group, and I saw the most laughs, especially during Reasons You're Late.
Reflection
Top game of the semester: Change game!!!!
I love the change game the most because it forces you to think outside of the box. In terms of improv, it makes you go from A to C.
"When you 'go A to C,' you have moved beyond saying the obvious or the expected"
(pg. 225 UCB Comedy Improvisational Manual).
The scenes during the Change Game are always so funny because you cannot predict where they will end up, and it gives you an excuse to be unhinged with your responses.
This class has changed something in me. I don't quite know what it is, but I can tell in the way I live my day-to-day life. I have noticed myself being less afraid of uncertainty. If there is a very hectic week ahead and I'm not sure how I'll get everything done, I'm less stressed because I know I'll figure it out as I go, and I trust myself to do so. One of the main topics in the video below is how everyday life is uncertain. You will never be able to plan for everything. Improv has helped me have peace even when curveballs are thrown.
I also find that I am less afraid of others' judgment. This class forced me to be very uncomfortable at times on stage, but no one ever judged me once the scene was over, and if anything, it was celebrated.
On the last day of class, we held a paper-plate award exchange. Each person was randomly assigned another classmate to make an award for. My classmate Evie made me the "The All-Rounder and Creative Storyteller" award.
She said it is because I have many strengths, and I give the most detailed, creative stories that really make you feel like you are living them when I tell them. It was so sweet and a great example of the kinds of things I was celebrated for, which surprised me. Growing up, my sister and dad always told me to "get to the point" or "wrap it up" when telling my stories because I do go on tangents. However, I just wanted to give all the details of the story because I feel like it adds. Improv was the first time this trait of mine was a strength rather than a weakness.
After a few weeks with my classmates, we all got very comfortable with each other. I thought that once this happened, the feeling of being judged would go away in class, but perhaps it would linger in the real world, since I would interact with people I wasn't comfortable with. However, that is not the case. The active practice of coming to class every day and playing outside of yourself without fear of judgment works mental muscles you didn't realize you had. When I go into the real world, I feel like I can be my most authentic self because I do it every Monday and Wednesday in improv class.
Moving forward
In the future, I hope to keep improv in my life. From this class, I will take away a greater intention to listen to those around me, a newfound peace in the uncertainty of the unplanned, and a confidence in being myself that I never knew I could have. I plan to attend some of the classes during the spring semester and will definitely attend the workshop. I think the act of going to work these mental muscles, as I mentioned above, is essential to see the benefits of improv. I hope to continue going to more improv shows, whether as a fun solo outing or with a group of friends.
I want to end this blog with the most important part of this semester - the friends! Without the amazing people in my improv class, it would not have been the semester it was. They truly made the theater and the environment feel like a warm hug every day (thank you, Danny, for fixing the heat). From the font game to the monologues to the improv workshop at the end, my classmates were always there, listening, supporting, and offering. Thank you to MC and Kyle for teaching me how to be a confident and supportive improver. The confidence and supporting skills learned in this class have already translated into my everyday life, and I will continue to improve them. Thank you for following along with me this semester! Farewell, friends!
Besser, Matt, et al. The Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual. Comedy Council of Nicea, LLC, 2013.
